Bag or sack



3 sheets-sheet 1 i JNVENToR. IrwinA-Ress MZ/LMS Ati-urn ey l. A. REISS BAG OR SACK 11111111111 1J. m u l m... G "m .l III" 'In F "Ilm "u "u I" Im .3 ..||m 1 u A. l .L lllllllllll l 2l. l O l '/.l ,2 1

Aug. 1o, 1954 Filed July 12, 1951 l. A. REISS BAG OR SACK Aug. 1o, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July l2, 1951 y .s e D0n s n Ti. r m e O VR. mA ,m A n .w n Y B 7. G .1 F

8. 8+- .m o F 4 m Mgg/. u iig/umili; /XJ vn an@ Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE BAG R SACK Irwin A. Reiss, Los Angeles, Calif. Application July 12, 1951, Serial No. 236,373

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to a bag or sack of paper or similar material particularly adapted for conveniently carrying relatively heavy loads. My invention is of particular utility when applied to a shopping bag for use by grocery stores where there is great need for a simple, inexpensive bag adapted for carrying relatively heavy loads. The bag of my invention is especially valuable in the pre-packing of such items as potatoes, oranges, etc. in units which at times attain substantial weight. Bags which are used at present for these purposes are provided with a twine handle. Not only are such bags expensivesince their manufacture usually entails considerable hand workbut, they are also rather inconvenient, inasmuch as twine has a tendency to out the hand of the person carrying the same when the articles in the bag have any appreciable Weight.

My present invention overcomes all these disadvantages by providing a strong shopping bag which can be entirely made by machine, and hence, is inexpensive to manufacture. Further, the bag of my invention is characterized in that it is provided with carrying and closure looking means which are combined into an integral structure. Also, my bag can be readily closed and securely retained in a locked position. Further, according to a modied embodiment of my invention, there is provided a specially reenforced carrying means i. e. handle whereby the tearing of the handle by a heavy load is obviated.

My invention and its advantages will be understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a front View of the top of one embodiment of my bag;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of' the top part of my bag, the latter being shown opened;

Figure 3 shows a front View of the bag with the closure portion in folded but unlocked position;

Figure 4 shows a front view of the top of the bag with the closure portion thereof in a folded position and the locking tongues back of the projecting guide and locking means;

Figure 5 shows the top of the bag with the locking tongues folded upwardly in locked position;

Figure 6 is a cross-section along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a View of a modified embodiment of my bag, and

Figure 8 is a cross-section along line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the embodiment of my bag illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, it will be seen that the bag comprises body panels I6 and H, which are suitably united at their side and bottom edges. As shown in Fig. 2, the panels are united at their sides by means of a pleated or expansible joint. While the drawings illustrate a die out envelope or bag, it will be understood that the invention is also applicable to serrated edge bags or envelopes without further modification. Both panels I0 and I I are provided at their top with a foldable closure portion or iiap l 2, I2 respectively, adapted to be folded about the score line S-S. Each of these flaps carries in its central part a foldable looking tongue I 3, I3' respectively. The locking tongue I3 is formed by slitting the iiap along the lines I4 and i6, thus enabling the locking tongue I3 to fold readily along a line A-A, joining the inner ends of the slits ill, i6. To facilitate the folding and the locking operation (to be described hereafter), the outer ends of the fold line A-A, where they joint the slits Ill, I5 may likewise be slitted for a short distance as indicated in the drawing.

The locking tongue I3 is formed in the iiap l2V in a similar manner.

The top portion of the body panels are provided below the naps with a pair of aligned elongated openings I6 and I'I, which not only serve as convenient carrying means or handles of the bag but, as will be more fully described below, receive the tongues I3, I3 to lock the iiap i2, I 2 securely in their closed position. The openings are defined at their top and bottom by straight parallel edges i. e. by the edges I8, i9 in the case of the opening I6 and edges 20, 2I, in the oase of opening I'I. The side walls of these openings have inwardly projecting, preferably V-shaped portions 22, 23 in the case of the opening I6, and 24, 25 in the case of the opening Il, the said portions extending inwardly into their respective openings intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. While V-shaped projections have been indicated as preferable, they may of course also be of suitable arcuate contour. As will be observed, the side walls of the openings define reentrant angles with respect to the openings, the projecting portions 22, 23, 2li, 25 serving as guiding and locking means for the side edges of the locking tongues I3, I3' during the locking operation, a" ill appear hereinafter. The upper edge 26 ach projection forms together with the adjacen end of the upper edge of the opening a lateralislit 26 which receives and retains the corresponding sicl gge of the locking tongue when the latter 'is vin its locking position in the openings. As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the width of the openings i6 and l'l at their top edges is preferably slightly greater than the Width of the old line or base A--A of the locking tongues i3 and I3', and is not less than the same, in order to insure easy introduction of the tongues into the locking slits 2%.

When the bag or envelope is to be closed, the flaps l2, l2 are folded as shown in Fig. 3 about the score line S-S which extends substantially midway between the fold line A-A of the tongues and the upper edge 2li of opening l1 (or edge le of opening iii). When the flaps are thus folded to closing position, the free edges 28, 28 of the locking tongue, before the latter are introduced into the openings, terminate short of the lower edges i9 and 2i of the openings, as will be readily observed by referring to Fig. 3. Thereupon, the locking tongues i3, I3' are pushed inwardly through the openings, the V-shaped side Walls of which form means for guiding the side edges of the locking tongues (formed by the slits Id, l) until the side edges of the locking tongues enter into the lateral slits 2S formed in the top portions of the aligned openings, the relative position or the parts being now as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. As is clearly apparent from Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, the width or" the locking tongues I3, i3 is greater than the distance between the inner ends of the opposed V-shaped projections 22, 23 and 24, 25. Therefore, once the side edges or" the locking tongues have entered into the aligned slits 26 at the upper portions of the openings l5, l1, the locking tongues are securely received and retained therein, and the tl-shaped projections will resist the release and the return of the tongues I3, I3' to the front of the projections. Thereafter, the locking tongues i3, i3 are folded upward so as to lie on the outside of the panel l i with their free edges 23, 28 adjacent the fold line S-S of the closing naps, as shown in Fig. 5 and, particularly, in Fig. 6. The bag or envelope can now be conveniently carried in locked position by inserting the hand or lingers through the aligned openings iS and Il.

As is apparent from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 6, the area around the openings and the locking tongues, as well as the looking tongues themselves are provided with suitable reenforcing material 29, 3d.

In a modified construction illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8, additional reenforcing material 3l, formed oi strips oi porous cloth or the like, are provided :for portions of the flaps about the locking tongues i3, i3', and for the upper portions of the panels l, il on the sides of the openings l5, il, respectively. As shown in Fig. 7, these reenorclng strips 3l are inserted between the lateral ends of the reenforcing material 29, 36 and the juxtaposed portions of the panels lll, i l and are fastened thereto as by adhesive. The additional cloth reenforcing strips 3l serve to strengthen the handle portion of the bag so as to adapt it'for the carrying of relatively heavy loads.

Without the cloth reenforcernent, the paper handle would tear rather easily. However, when reeniorced with a piece oi cloth in the manner illustrated, the paper, instead of tearing, will stretch especially if a good quality glue be used to combine the paper and the cloth. The cloth is combined with the paper so as to reenforce those areas about the handle where the greatest stress is applied to the filled and closed bag. It is to be understood that the placement of the cloth strips is not limited to the positions shown in Fig. 7. The strips may be disposed in various areas about the handle portions of the bag where the need for reenforcement exists.

By the provision of two closing folding aps, the bag of the present invention is rendered extremely strong and suitable for use as a shopping bag and, especially, for carrying relatively heavy loads. There is, indeed, a great need at the present time for a strong inexpensive bag oi this type. Further, the double folded flap provides a convenient handle, whereby even a heavily loaded bag can be carried without discomfort i. e. without cutting the fingers oi the person carrying the saine. Also, the elimination of the twine handle of the usual shopping bag makes it possible to manufacture the bag oi the present invention completely by machine, thus ein fecting considerable savings in manufacturing costs.

I claim:

A bag comprising paper body panels united at their side and bottom edges, each of said panels being provided with a top section, both of said sections being oldable in the same direction on a transverse score line extending the width oi the panels; a folding locking tongue carried by each of said sections; aligned openings in said body panels below said top sections thereof; the upper ends of said openings terminating in lateral slots adapted to receive and retain said locking tongues in position when said top sections are folded in the same direction to close the bag and said tongues are inserted through said slotted portions of said openings and iol-ded upward; the width or" said openings between the terminal closed ends of said slots being not less than the width ot said locking tongues at the base thereof; and a pair of transversely spaced cloth reinforcing strips secured to each said panel, each said strip extending longitudinally downward from the top of its panel beyond the opening therein with the opposed edges of said strips at said slot ends.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,695,568 Wolf Dec. 18, 1928 2,061,580 Lackey Nov. 24, 1936 2,132,659 Wolf Oct. 11, 1938 2,433,867 Ringler Jan. 6, 1948 2,500,848 McMillan Mar. 14, 1950 2,549,931 Reiss Apr. 24, 1951 

